Varian and the Seven Kingdoms (Varian's Seven Trials)

The Hunt for a Trial

"What does crescent mean?" Yong asked Greta as they climbed over a fallen tree.
"It's...like a moon shape- when the moon looks like it's smiling." Greta explained and Yong nodded.
"So we're looking for a smiley moon lake?"
"Uh, yeah...I guess we are." She laughed.
"Have you been in the forest before?"
"Yeah, we take a lot of walks out here, but we don't usually wander this deep. I hope Ingrid doesn't get too excited and get lost." Greta sighed.
"Isn't she older than you?"
"Yeah...She's nineteen." Greta laughed.
"She's an adult?" Yong questioned, looking surprised.
"When she wants to be. I'm sure she'll be fine...we need to focus on finding this lake, right?"
"Right."

"Why would we go that way?" Varian asked, his arms crossed.
"Cause I say so." Hugo responded, quickly.
"But- that makes no sense. There's running water that way." Varian pointed to their right, "You can hear it."
"Yeah, there's also spruce trees that way. We're looking for oak falls, remember? We're following the oak trees."
"How do you know there isn't oaks further down?"
"I don't. But you made me captain, didn't you?" He leaned down in a patronising way, smirking at Varian.
"Regrettably." Varian replied.
"So, we're doin' this my way." Hugo walked to their left, following the oak trees. Varian rolled his eyes and walked after him, "Don't let this whole captain thing go to your head. You're leading a two person team on a scavenger hunt. It isn't that impressive." He grinned.
"Still gives me power over you for a few hours."
"Hah- yeah, don't get ahead of yourself. I'm the one who appointed you captain- so technically you have no power over me."
"But you're part of my team." Hugo sighed, turning to Varian with a big smirk, "I'd like to be referred to as Captain from this point on."
"You're really enjoying this minuscule amount of power, aren't you?"
"Immensely."
"Alright, I'll humour you, Cap." Varian chuckled.

"How do you think everyone else is doing?" Rolf asked Nuru as they knelt down at their fourth fairy ring.
"They're probably having less trouble than us...fairy rings are so common, how are we supposed to know what we're looking for?" Nuru asked.
"I don't know...the text Varian translated didn't say anything about it, so I guess we'll have to know when we see it." Rolf shrugged, examining the mushrooms.
"Hey, look over there!" Nuru pointed at another fairy ring and Rolf looked over, "There's something in the middle."

"By heart rock- does it mean like a big rock, a small rock-" Ingrid started.
"A boulder." Henrik interjected. They had run until they couldn't anymore, and were now walking the forest path with no luck in finding any heart rock.
"What if it's an arrangement of rocks?" Haley suggested and Ingrid sighed deeply. "Ugh, I hope not- cause then we have to factor in perspective and-"
"I see rocks!" Haley yelled, running off into the distance. Her siblings followed, excited by this news. They arrived at a pile of large rocks and Ingrid cheered,
"This is progress guys! Let's look for a heart rock! Climb the trees if you need to- we need to win this thing!" Ingrid commanded and the twins nodded before they all got to work, searching the rock pile, looking upon it from different angles, climbing trees to try and get a birds-eye perspective.

"Looking for smiley moon lake, looking for the smiley moon-" Yong stopped and Greta looked to the boy, hopefully. He'd been singing that same line over and over for a while now, and the girl hoped he'd finally seen something important, and of relevance. He hadn't. Yong ran over to a tree and stared at something on it.
"What is it, Yong?" Greta asked, patiently.
"A little frog." Yong smiled widely, "I've never seen a real frog before." He tried to grab the frog but it jumped from the tree, to a bush. Yong followed it and it continued to evade him. Greta was about to call Yong back but realised a frog could likely lead them to a body of water. She smiled as the boy continued to chase the small amphibian. She laughed and went after him.

Varian and Hugo had reached a deep ravine. They were currently staring over at the other side, where distantly the ravine looped round to the source of the water, a large waterfall.
"Alright, get those sweet-cheeks ready t'jump." Hugo backed up from the edge of the ravine and Varian's eyes widened. Hugo ran at the edge and Varian stopped him,
"That's insane- did you forget that you almost died on a cliff edge? You wanna jump?"
"It's not that big a gap. We can make it. It's not like there's anyone threatening my life this time round."
"Yeah, except yourself." Varian laughed dryly, "We could just walk around." Varian gestured to the very distant turn in the ravine.
"That'll take all day."
"At least there's no chance we could die." Varian scoffed.
"If you wanna walk the whole way around, be my guest. I'll catch ya at the trial." Hugo grinned and backed up again, running towards the edge and jumping to the other side. Varian felt his heart skip a beat as he watched the blonde jump. He was so sure that Hugo wouldn't make it, but just as soon as he had jumped, his feet were safely on the ground at the other side of the ravine. He stepped away from the edge just in time before some of the dirt crumbled away.
"Hah- no way I'm jumping across there." Varian crossed his arms.
"What, you scared?" Hugo grinned widely.
"Uh- yeah." Varian forced a laugh, "I'm gonna fall a tree or something." Varian looked around.
"What if that lady shows up again?" Hugo asked with a smirk, "This is her forest, Stripes. It'd be a little disrespectful to go against her wishes."
"I hate you." Varian glared.
"Just jump- I'll catch you." Hugo assured, with a wide grin.
"Is this just a way to erase your life debt to me?" Varian smirked.
"Maybe." Hugo chuckled.
Varian huffed then looked at his surroundings. He noticed one of the trees on his side had branches that stretched out to the other side. He smiled then ran over and started to climb it.
"Really?"
"It's safer." Varian struggled to reach the second branch once he had climbed to the first.
"Is it?"
"I'm not gonna jump!"
Hugo sighed and watched Varian climb until he reached one of the branches which stretched over the gap. He scooted across it, trying not to look down. He thought that he now understood how Eugene had felt crawling across from the black rock tower. He steadied his breath and continued, over the cavernous gap below.
"You good, Goggles?"
"Shut up." Varian responded quickly. He was now above the other side but there was quite a drop to the ground. He reached for his belt, then lost his balance and fell. Luckily, Hugo stepped underneath the boy and caught him in his arms.
"Thanks..." Varian gave a sigh of relief.
"Would y'say my debt is cleared?" Hugo smirked and Varian rolled his eyes.
"You- initiated this...but sure, if it'll stop you putting my life in danger." He looked over into the ravine then dropped out of Hugo's arms.
"You have my word." Hugo chuckled.
"Let's go." Varian said, claiming charge of Hugo again as he walked off towards the waterfall. Hugo smiled and followed.